Educational Field Trips

All Educational Field Trips (EFTs) are open to meeting registrants and members of their families.
Due to limited space, advance registration is required for all EFTs. Reservation
and payment of EFT fee(s) is included on the Advance
Registration Form. NOTE: Persons not otherwise registered for the meeting must pay a $10 Educational Field Trip registration fee in addition to the cost of the first educational field trip for which they sign up. Non-meeting registrants pay this fee only once, regardless of whether they participate in one or more field trips. Meeting registrants pay only the field trip fee and are not subject to the additional $10 fee.

All Educational Field Trips depart from a location to be announced, shown on this campus MAP.

Each field trip has a minimum number of attendees, below which the organizers may cancel. Should a trip be cancelled by the Division for any reason, including insufficient advance sign-ups, a full refund will be granted and processed after the meeting closes. If a registrant cancels via e-mail or written notification received in the Pacific Division office no later than 1 June 2018, the registrant will receive a refund of the paid fee(s) less a $15 processing charge. Credit card refunds are subject to an additional 3.5% charge on the entire original billing to help cover the fees the Division pays to the credit card companies.

Led by Dr. Claudia Garcia-Des Lauriers, this field trip will visit the Getty Center in Los Angeles. A highlight of the trip will be a look behind the scenes of the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), including a walking tour of the GCI Science laboratories which will explore how advanced scientific instrumentation is used to answer questions at the intersection of art and science. There will be free time to allow attendees to explore the Getty art exhibits, botanical gardens, restaurants, and gift shops. Lunch is on your own. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and clothes. If you bring a camera, you may take non-flash photography (no-flash photography is permitted). And don’t forget to bring along some money for lunch and snacks!

Includes transportation, admission to the Getty Center, and the behind the scenes tour of the Getty Conservation Institute.

For hydrogeology and nature enthusiasts, Icehouse Canyon with its Quaternary sediments, crystal-clear pools, and redwoods is one of Southern California’s true gems. This six hour field trip explores the geologic reasons for flow variations in Icehouse Creek. Gaining and losing reaches of the creek documented by 25 years of stream gauge records will be related to vivid geologic controls that include: spring discharge from water-saturated landslide deposits and deep-seated fault zones, bedrock constrictions of alluvial aquifers, and infiltration into coarse gravel deposits. The itinerary involves a moderately strenuous 1 mile hike up Icehouse Canyon trail, with multiple stops to view stream-gauging sites and perennial springs. Hydrographs included in the guidebook provide a basis to discuss the response of the watershed to precipitation recharge events and systematic variations in base-flow recession. Lunch will be eaten amongst boulders and pools and small waterfalls of Icehouse Creek. Our excursion takes place during the peak of the runoff season when spring discharge and stream flow are most dramatic.

Caution: This trip involves a 2 mile round trip hike on a steep, rocky trail between 5200 and 5800 feet elevation, plus several short detours off the trail to view creek and spring gauging sites. Be sure to wear hiking boots or comfortable walking shoes and bring along a sun hat, light jacket or sweater, and bug repellent.

Organized and led by Prof. Donald R. Prothero (Department of Geological Sciences, Cal Poly Pomona;donaldprothero@att.net). Prof. Prothero has published many papers on La Brea mammals and birds, and worked there since 1970.

Departs from Kellogg West at 8:30 a.m. and then Building 17 shortly thereafter.

We plan to arrive at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum just before 10:00. Guided by the lab supervisor, we will go in to the Tar Pits Museum and take a "behind the scenes" tour of the preparation lab and also the collection of over 3 million fossils of mammals, birds, insects, plants, and many other organisms. Both of these areas are normally closed to the public. Afterward we will view the 3D movie, "Titans of the Ice Age." After our museum visit, we will tour Hancock Park to see the Observation Pit (normally closed to the public), the Pit 91 excavation, and Project 23. Following this we will let everyone the opportunity to find lunch on their own at one of the many different choices within a few blocks along Wilshire Boulevard, as well as either revisiting the La Brea Tar Pits or visiting other attractions in the area, such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Petersen Automotive Museum. We will meet at the vehicle(s) for our drive back to Cal Poly by about 2:45 p.m., arriving at Cal Poly by about 4:00 p.m.

Includes transportation, admission to the La Brea Tar Pits Museum, and movie. Lunch at one of the many different dining opportunities on the "Miracle Mile" of Wilshire Boulevard, as well as other local attractions you may choose to visit, are on your own.

Educates thousands of schoolchildren and their teachers in art, history, literature, and botanical science through special tours and programs;

Organizes special exhibitions to enhance the visitor experience, interpret the collections, and facilitate learning; and

Hosts more than 750,000 visitors.

Ms. Horvath is a docent at the Huntington, and regularly leads visitors on tours of the botanical gardens. The plan is to meet Ms. Horvath at a prearranged spot at the Huntington (details will be provided for those taking this tour of the facility) by 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning, whereupon she will lead everyone on a roughly 1.5 hour tour of the botanical gardens. Following will be free time for as long as you wish to explore the 120 acres or so of grounds and facilities. Here’s the catch: Although the Pacific Division is making this opportunity available, we will not be providing any transportation to or from the event. Neither, though, will there be any up front charge for this event. All details for getting to and from the Huntington and any expenses incurred will be up to those participating.

It is recommended that participants in this field trip review the Huntington Library website, http://www.huntington.org, to become oriented to the facility. A map showing the Huntington grounds and discussing accessibility may be downloaded by clicking here. Please note that most of the grounds are accessible by wheelchair but a few trails are steep and/or have stairs. Refer to the Huntington map to distinguish between those types of trails.
Audio tours and other programs about the Huntington may be found by searching iTunesU for “The Huntington.”
No food is allowed on the premises. However, there are several places inside the Huntington grounds where food may be purchased, such as the Rose Garden Café, which offers a wide variety of sandwiches and grilled items such as hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken sandwiches, fish tacos, and quesadillas, all made to order, entree salads with fruit or fresh mixed greens, homemade soups, chili, freshly baked goods including muffins, scones, turnovers, brownies, and cookies. Another option is the Chinese Garden Tea Shop, as well as food carts. All food purchases are on your own, and may be purchased with cash or credit card.

Be sure to come prepared for our time at the Huntington with comfortable walking shoes, hat, sunscreen, and water. It can be hot, particularly in the Cactus Garden!

Sign-ups for this event will be taken at the Registration Desk during the Cal Poly Pomona meeting. The number of participants is limited to 20, so please be sure that you have all details worked out and that you will attend before signing up!

Admission to the Huntington is on your own and to be paid at the door. Price depends on the ages of the participants. Current pricing is youth (4 – 11): $13; adult (19 – 64): $29; and senior (65+): $24.
Transportation and meals are on your own.
Sign up for the tour at the meeting Registration Desk; no advance sign-ups will be taken.